Snuffed Out
by Xiuzou
Summary: With the defeat of the Evangelist, Vulcan makes good on his proclamation of replacing Amaterasu. What is to become of the first pillar? What happened to the survivors of the white-clad? And what has become of the eighth? Manga spoiler one-shot.


"Vulcan!" I could hear Arthur yelling from under my covers. "What foul sorcery is this!? What have you done to Excalibur!?" The knight was currently outside, his plasma blade illuminating the already bright afternoon so much that I couldn't rest.

"Uhm...It's a magic enchantment." Vulcan thought quickly, feeding into the fantasy of the eighth's swordsman. "Now, plunge it into the head of ogre! Before the magic gets dispelled!" He yelled, pointing to a mechanical gorilla painted green. Arthur quickly thrust his sword into the head of the machine, causing a loud beep to come from a tablet that the engineer held. "Still not enough." Vulcan grunted, frowning as Arthur decimated his creation. "I can't harness enough power from any pyrokinetics to replace Amaterasu. Wait! What if...?" He squatted, getting a clipboard and crossing off something from a list. He quickly began writing down something, muttering different materials he'd need for his next project.

"Vul! Arthur! Lunch is ready!" I could hear Lisa from down the hall, and the two outside looked up at a window on the same floor as me. "Still working hard?" She asked to the engineer. "I know you're supposed to make a replacement, but there's no need to rush. The evangelists are gone."

"I know that." Vulcan picked up his things. "But we're going to Haijima tomorrow. We're going to Amaterasu tomorrow. I have to show them that I can do this before they decide to go back on their word." I probably shouldn't be listening to this. I cover myself with my sheets and stuff a pillow over my head. Soon, I drift off to sleep.

* * *

"Amaterasu..." I mutter, walking down the hallway alone. I see a camera zoom its lens at me as I stop at a heavily locked door. I hold up my hand to the camera, showing them a pass to get me through the door. "The core..." I steady myself, walking further and reaching out my hand until I hear...her.

"Kill them! They're watching you! They'll use you!" She whispers in my ear, I can feel the heat wrap around me as if embraced by arms made of fire. "Destroy them! Destroy them all!"

"Is it hot in there?" My eyes still shut, I raise my head up to look at the adolla burst that fueled the city; to look at her. "Are you lonely?" She didn't reply, only laughing at my question. I could feel her gaze on me, her heat radiating all over my body. "I'll be back." I say, turning on my heel. "It's nice to not be so lonely, right? At least Sho likes having company over. You can sense him too, right?" I say before I leave. I might have been imagining it, but the heat from the core seemed a little less harsh."

"You're going again today, right?" I ran into Lisa and Tamaki. "Let's go."

* * *

The white-clad...some of them aren't so talkative while others seemed...relieved when the Evangelist disappeared; others are still missing or in hiding, but that gives us something to do. Just what was it like in that organization? That's a question I've always wanted to ask. "We're here." But it seems like a touchy subject for Lisa.

"Ah, Feeler. Visiting again?" A familiar face greeted us as Lisa opened the door of the sixth's special recovery wing. Charon waved at us, looking at us while doing his daily stretches. He was one of the nice ones, even while he was kicking the eighth's ass, he showed some flashes of humanity. He always had this strange fatherly air around him whenever he isn't trying to murder people.

"How many times have I told you? Don't call me that." Lisa retorted, groaning somewhat. "Why are you still here? You've been fine for ages. Is she still..."

"Yeah." Charon gestured to the bed beside the window, a motionless body laying on it. "She still hasn't answered my question." He clenched his fist.

"What was the question?"

He walked to beside the bed, looking at the body. "Haumea, when are you going to wake up?" It's the same question as last time, and the time before that, and the time before that.

"Want to go with us for a while? We're going to go see the others." I offered, extending my hand to the muscular man. Charon raised an open palm to me, quietly declining.

"I am her guardian. I will stay by her side."

* * *

The moment we entered the next room, we heard a thudding sound as a bedridden woman threw a dart across the room.

"You never miss, do you Arrow?" I ask, walking into the room. Arrow just stayed there, getting a second dart with her right hand and tossing it; another bullseye. I looked around the room, finding its second inhabitant staring out the window. "Is she okay, Sho?" I asked, getting his attention. He looked at me with a smile, suddenly appearing in front of me and catching another of Arrow's darts from the air.

"The same as always. She just hasn't been the same since that last battle." Sho replied to my question. I walked over to Arrow's side, taking her darts and moving it to her left side.

"You know, we might be able to replace Amaterasu soon." I said calmly, maybe being like her would help me get through to her. She turned in her bed to get the darts, facing me in the process. Her eyes were lost, emotionless...more than usual. "Perhaps this was the change that was needed."

"Perhaps." She finally spoke. "Change is finally coming." She sat up, pushing her body up with her arm. "Leave me be. You have business elsewhere, am I correct?"

"Would you like to go with us? We'll be visiting Assault next." Tamaki spoke up from the doorway. "He's been pestering me for a while."

"I'll decline." Arrow responded, turning to finally show her left sleeve. "I have to save my strength. Tell your swordsman to battle me once I am discharged." Arthur had cut off her arm, so it's natural that she would hold a grudge.

* * *

"I'm getting discharged tomorrow." Assault, rather excited, greeted us. The moment he heard our footsteps. "So, would you like to battle me again?"

"Me? You're persistent!" Tamaki stomped inside before slipping on a wet tile. I decided to not continue with Assault's visit. Luckily for me, everyone else agreed.

"Good luck Tamaki!" I said with a grin before shutting the door and going to the next room. "Inka." I slid the door open to her room. "She's not here!"

"I think I know where she is." Sho spoke up. Judging by the look on his face, he was pretty confident. Lisa decided she wanted to stay behind for a while, keeping Arrow company.

* * *

It was oddly serene, considering who was here. I was never close with Inka, but from what I heard...this was different. "Finally caught up to you, huh?" Sho called out.

"Why are you here?" Inka turned around, her trademark thrill seeking smile gone, replaced with...contemplative seriousness.

"Out for a stroll." I speak up. "Mind if we join you."

"Yeah...sure, whatever." She turned again, looking down at a pair of... "Panda, Sancho..." She just stood there. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought that she was a statue. Sho and I flanked her sides, clearing the area of leaves.

"Nothing is more valuable than a life." I say. "That's what you used to say, right?"

"Ironic, isn't it?" She turned to me before her eyes widened and she reached out her arm to me. "Move!"

I could hear the cracking of stone, feel the rumbling of the ground beneath me. The graves busted open violently as gouts of flame spewed out like geysers. An arm reached out of the embers, crawling out of the ground; then another, and another. Sho looked to both of us, his face singed slightly by the fire as an infernal came up from behind him.

"Are you okay?" I ask Inka. I could hear the clang of metal hitting the ground below as the infernal from the grave closest to us grabbed her foot. "Ritsu! Come out here and fight!" I yelled, grabbing Inka's crutch and kicking the infernal in its face. It fell back in its hole, exploding as the force shook the ground once more.

"Dodge to your left!" Inka said, tracing in the air with her fingers before a ring of flames struck five or so reanimated corpses. I did so as a blast of fire came from one further back.

"Lisa! Ritsu showed up! Yes, this is a bad place to fight her! Alright." I held the collar of my shirt closer to my mouth, speaking to a small badge that Vulcan made. I looked around, Sho was taking half a dozen on himself, Inka was struggling to get back on her foot without her crutch, and the graveyard is just an endless supply of enemies unless we can find Ritsu.

"Look there." I could hear her again, her heat moving my body northward, towards an abandoned building that was burnt down recently. I pointed it out to Sho and he vanished from sight, leaving me and Inka to fend for ourselves; it's not like we could run away either. The two of us held out for five minutes, me knocking away any that got close while Inka took care of the ones further out. Soon, we could hear the sound of the matchbox pulling up. Captain Obi and Maki ran out the back while Lieutenant Hinawa rolled down the windows and opened fire with his pistol.

"Látom" Iris walked out once the action had died down. Sho rejoined us, a few cuts on his face and arms but he seemed fine. Captain looked at Inka, reaching out his hand. Inka backed away, pushing with her arms away from Obi. The one who shattered her leg in that fight was Obi, nobody else could touch her. With that leg, her image of indestructability came crumbling down.

"Miss. Are you safe?" The captain asked, retracting his hand as I returned her crutch to her.

"Can we go?" Was all she said, limping towards the matchbox. We rode it back to the sixth's, Obi sitting in the front to help ease Inka.

"The offer still stands. I'm sure Shinra would like you at the eighth." Captain Obi rolled down the window, talking with Sho at the gates of the sixth. I couldn't see Sho's face, but I did hear his response.

"I'll consider."

* * *

The next day came by fast. Hinawa and Licht were conversing with Vulcan outside the cathedral. "If you can manage to do this, then replacing Amaterasu would come sooner than everyone expected." Viktor said, looking over Vulcan's new designs. Hinawa watched over the two, reloading his guns into the matchbox. Thundering footsteps approached the cathedral.

"Dragon. You're late." Hinawa said, his upper body still inside the vehicle. We've been working with Dragon for training for a while after the defeat of the Evangelist, it's always a nice workout. I got up from my chair, meeting with the former butcher outside as he crossed his arms. His durability and counterattack, all of that make sending him flying a goal for everyone here.

"Can you do it this time?" He said, not even looking at me. "Can you topple the mighty Dragon?" I stood still, calming down as I focused on his body. He set up his scales, standing there waiting for me. Over and over, I hit him right in his center, nothing...until.

With a resounding boom, Dragon was flying through the air as I stood next to where he was. I was shocked, he was shocked, and she whispered in my ear.

"What...did you do?" I heard her voice as Dragon crashed back down to earth. His scales slowly turning back to normal skin as he caught his breath. I handed him some water, looking over at where I hit him.

* * *

Time passed by, and in a few months time Vulcan made his prototype. The two of us went to another Haijima facility, visiting a pair of acquaintances. "Beginning physical durability test in three...two..." A scientist spoke into a microphone as a black smoke filled the room on other side of the glass. Clank and clings, a barrage of blades attacked a small metal sphere that Vulcan left inside. "It's finished. Kurono you may stop now." The smoke cleared, Kurono rubbing his arm as he silently walked out of the door as Nataku entered the room.

"Nataku. Stay calm okay!" I took the mic and spoke to him. He turned, giving me a thumbs up before a radiation symbol made of fire appeared above his head. "Just one beam is enough. Alright, radiation test in three...two..." A bright flash of light blocked our view for a moment before we saw Nataku sitting on the ground and the machine came to life, glowing with the same light of the sixth pillar's attack.

"Nice!" Vulcan pumped his fist into the air. "Indestructible!" He opened the door, the both of us walking in. I walked over to Nataku's side, helping him up while Vulcan examined his creation.

"How've you been?" I asked, looking at him. Nataku looked to me, smiling.

"I'm doing better." He said, taking off the clothes Haijima gave him and changing into more casual wear.

"They're letting you out now?" I asked, surprised at the development. "Have you been back to school?"

"Yeah! It's so much fun, I've made more friends because of my cool powers." He got excited, like someone his age should be. "Think I can join the fire force?"

"I dunno, training school is tough." The two of us walked over to a cafeteria in the facilities, getting some sodas and chatting all the while. "I'd be happy if you could do."

* * *

"And then Tamaki tripped on a rock and landed right on top of Assault. You should've seen the look on his face, he was so red!" I spoke, taking a seat before the core of Amaterasu. I come visiting often. "And Maki and Hinawa bumped into the rest of the Oze family while they were out getting groceries. I feel kinda bad for the lieutenant." I gave off a weak laugh as I felt her sitting in front of me. "And Iris and captain Hibana are trying to rebuild the church where they grew up. Yu offered to help, but they declined."

"Why do you keep coming back here?" She asked me.

"Because you're lonely, aren't you?" I replied. "Well, we're about to replace this thing. You can finally rest soon."

"Is that true?" I flinched at her excitement. She seemed angry. "I want to kill them before that happens."

"But they're already dead. They've been dead for years." I replied. "And humanity has changed since then."

"Do you truly believe that?" She asked me, scorn in her voice.

"Are we not the proof that you need?" I stand up. "We'll end your suffering soon. So please be patient." I bowed at the core before leaving Amaterasu.

* * *

Over the years, Vulcan's new power source kept replacing more and more of Amaterasu. Today, today is the day that it fully replaces it. All of the companies are here as the once great Amaterasu becomes deathly silent. I walked into the core, leaving everyone outside.

"This is the end." I say, seeing the light of the flame, seeing her light. "What do you want to happen?"

Amaterasu was silent. I lift up my arms to feel the heat on my hands. "I want revenge." I could feel her intent through the silence. "To take back what they took from me." Anger in her voice, yet not malicious. The flame's container lowered to the ground as the building lost power. I walked over to it, removing the seal to her prison. The embers flew out, landing in front of me. I could see her visage in the smoke as I closed my eyes. Footsteps approached from behind me, and I could feel her bow her head.

"Shinra Kusakabe." Amaterasu said. "I'm sorry."

"What are you going to do with her? You said you could do it." Shinra put his hand on my shoulder, my mentor from the eighth now an adult but still with his trademark grin.

"Save her. Everyone needs a family." I say, brushing my red hair back before I clenched my fist. Sweeping the embers together, I pulled the heat away as the adolla burst brought life to the ashes. Timeless, as if the burning preserved her, Amaterasu fell down with her blonde hair, still seemingly ablaze, reaching down and scattering on the floor. I removed my jacket, covering her as Shinra, Amaterasu, and I walked out. Lisa and Vulcan put their arms around me.

"You actually managed to pull this off!? Good job!" Vulcan's voice boomed.

"Shut up dad! You're embarrassing me." I retorted, looking back at the building that now housed my father's power source. "Everyone needs a family." I think, my gaze passing over everyone. Shinra walked beside Sho, our most recent recruit, and they seemed to be conversing. "Family..." My work isn't over...

* * *

"You want to pay them back, don't you?" Amaterasu said to me that night. "When are you going to do it?"

"Now." I said, looking outside to find a small wisp of smoke on top of our roof. The two of us went to the rooftop.

"Hey." The smoke read out as Joker turned to face me. "Little lady, you know where she is, right?" Amaterasu just nodded, pointing out of the city. The three of us tracked down my target quickly, using her link to scan everywhere until we've found it.

There it was, a demon, that demon. "Buy me time Joker." I asked, reaching out my arm to focus my powers on the demon. Joker threw out his cards, pushing the demon back and keeping it in place. I closed my eyes, feeling the heat of the demon like a wall before me. I pulled back my arm, thrusting out an open palm as the demon's flames got put out. Again and again, knocking down that wall with every motion, until the charred form returned to human skin. "Hello, miss Kusakabe. Your sons are waiting." I say, pushing out my palm once more to completely push out the influence of adolla out of her body.

"To think, someone that could manipulate adolla itself, and you aren't even one of the pillars." Joker commented, smiling wide. He gave me a wink before tossing a card my way. I held out my palm and pushed it towards him, extinguishing all of his cards, even the ones in his hand. "Second generations are scary." He joked as the four of us returned.

* * *

"No, Joker. I'm not a second gen. To be honest, I don't care either way. I'm just Magnus Joseph of the fire force's eighth company." I think silently as I stare up at the ceiling of my room.


End file.
